Racism technically has no scientific roots, in other words there is no scientific classification of humans into groups the way a frog or a lion are classified into groups on a scientific basis. The Real truth about racism is that it is based on nothing substantial yet the Reality is that racism has affected people.

Racism like many beliefs only works as a a belief if it is believed, same way with money and religion, even though they aren't based on anything real and substantial they have realities if they are believed by societies or groups of people. The realities behind slavery and racism are not base on anything real.

The idea that one group was superior to another is simply made up, yet the belief in this can have real affects.

I believe that humans want power and wealth and will do anything and say anything to get this, and some people that do these things like to pretend to abide by morals of their religion, so one effective way for (insert religion here) to go after wealth and power was to make up shit and say that they can or should do it because they are a superior race.

Can you find out or get to the roots of a belief through logic? I say no because any belief, like the belief that one race is superior to another is not based on logic, it is usually based on something else. I believe that racism as a belief is rooted in man deluding himself as to why it is ok for him to take other peoples shit and to oppress people.

Patriotism is similar.

The following 3 users Like I and I's post:3 users Like I and I's postamyb (03-11-2012), bemore (24-12-2012), morondog (25-12-2012)

(25-10-2012 01:28 PM)Vera Wrote: Hiya neighbour! (hehe, this was to annoy you a bit)

I couldn't agree more... I always, always say that what defines me as a person is not my race, my gender, my nationality, my sexual orientation, what have you. I (and everybody else) is first and foremost a human being, everything else is secondary at best (not even important - at worst). Sure, where I was born, my gender, etc. have influenced who I am, but this hasn't formed who I am. If stripped of all those things, I would still be me.[SNIP]
EDIT: I so know what you mean about the vacant stares and no smiles around these parts. Every time I come back from a visit abroad, it's such a shock, they mean, critical way they look you up and down... grrr

Unfortunately racism is still very present around these parts, even in a country like Brazil I've lived my entire life in the periphery of São Paulo and racism isn't as visible here because many people are black or miscigenated themselves, it's mainly present as a "cultural preference" towards people of certain ethnicities. It was just when I got the opportunity to study at one of the state's best public schools that I saw racism first hand. In there certain students openly admitted to being racists and even some neo-nazists.

This school, despite being public and free, used exams as its form of admission and thus most students came themselves from the private system, with preparatory schools and a privileged background in their bio. I've never been to those elite schools but I guess the environment there is equally racist, at the least, since the proportion of black students in those is even smaller than their proportion in "elite" public schools

Regarding nationalism, despite never having left this country I still think nationalism is a great problem affecting humankind: it isn't worse than violence, hunger, diseases and the spread of mysticism but still produces hatred, segregation and dehumanization of our fellows

(03-11-2012 02:32 PM)Altemark Wrote: Unfortunately racism is still very present around these parts, even in a country like Brazil I've lived my entire life in the periphery of São Paulo and racism isn't as visible here because many people are black or miscigenated themselves, it's mainly present as a "cultural preference" towards people of certain ethnicities. It was just when I got the opportunity to study at one of the state's best public schools that I saw racism first hand. In there certain students openly admitted to being racists and even some neo-nazists.

This school, despite being public and free, used exams as its form of admission and thus most students came themselves from the private system, with preparatory schools and a privileged background in their bio. I've never been to those elite schools but I guess the environment there is equally racist, at the least, since the proportion of black students in those is even smaller than their proportion in "elite" public schools

Regarding nationalism, despite never having left this country I still think nationalism is a great problem affecting humankind: it isn't worse than violence, hunger, diseases and the spread of mysticism but still produces hatred, segregation and dehumanization of our fellows

Concordo completamente!

It's just that in my naivety I thought people couldn't really be racists when there are so few people who are of only "one race" (it was so often that you couldn't really tell if a person was black, of mixed race or just dark-skinned... not that I gave it much thought, I don't really think of people in terms of their ethnicity).
I did learn that there was a lot of prejudice in Brazil - for example someone told me about this girl from a community who'd never in her life been to one of the "posher" beaches, 'cause it just wasn't done... Not sure how true this is for everyone, but I did get the feeling that there was prejudice.

And yet two (even three) of the most amazing people I met there were born and grew up in communities. One of them was studying anthropology and when I asked him why (I'm sure a lot of the well-educated gringos I was living with didn't even know what exactly anthropology was) he said that he wanted to understand why people think the way they do and he gave me as an example Berlusconi and how people could go on reelecting him (obvs. that was just an example of why he choose that particular area of study, but how many people in a community or even well-educated ones even know who Berlusconi is or give a crap why Italians insist on electing such a piece of shit).

Another one actually taught himself to read when he was about 15 (neglect in the family is why he didn't even go to school), the first book he read was about evolution, the second - The Origin of Species. He would later go on to university...

Well, that was a lengthy aside, but I just meant to say that the prejudice that exists in your lovely country and it really broke my heart to see all those privileged people who are basically doing nothing and feeling superior and those amazing people who had to struggle so much for things that are so basic for us.
And nationalism is a huge problem because it's a symptom of the tribal instinct that just won't die and is making this world a worse place that it needs to be.

I minored in anthropology and it's become a big peeve of mine (It was a peeve before that, but I mean I got a better understanding of why racism is stupid). Sometimes people say, "but there are observable differences between groups!" This misses the point. There are observable differences in the color of birds based on geographic location, too. That doesn't make one better, and it really isn't even a noteworthy difference anymore now that we have parasols and sunscreen and can move around the world.

I really hate the phrase "mixed-race" or "mixed race couple," because genetically, we are all the same race. Not to mention no one is "pure" whatever, anyway. And since we all came from Africa, that would make me one pale-ass African-American.

But in general I think it's just herd instinct and tribalism, us vs. them, "those people look different so they must be inferior." I hope that someday, education will correct these ideas, but I'm not too optimistic. And if it does, people will find other pointless reasons to divide themselves from others and hate people unlike them (patriotism, sexual orientation, gender, etc.),

I'd argue that nationalism is a misplaced sentiment as it seems to derive from an assumption that a given location or group of people are better than others, based on the sole fact that the individual expressing national pride was he/herself born into that group or at that location.
Patriotism is a little different as I accept that one can feel proud of the values defended by the Nation of which one is a citizen.

Subjective morals mean that anything goes, provided that the majority deem it right.

You are an odious person, get help before you hurt yourself or someone, or someone hurts you. But, seriously you need to do humanity a favour and sort yourself out.

Legal Disclaimer: I am right, I reserve the right to be wrong without notice, opinions may change, your statutory rights are not affected, opinions expressed are not my own and are an approximation for the sake of communication.

(25-12-2012 06:54 AM)Humakt Wrote: You are an odious person, get help before you hurt yourself or someone, or someone hurts you. But, seriously you need to do humanity a favour and sort yourself out.

lol..

yeah... and most people born in the latter 20th century don't have an anything goes moral system.

Never sided with masses, if your so determined to side with the majority why dont you fuck off and become religious.

Legal Disclaimer: I am right, I reserve the right to be wrong without notice, opinions may change, your statutory rights are not affected, opinions expressed are not my own and are an approximation for the sake of communication.